Abstract:
Fish and fisheries sector play an important role for its fourfold contribution - in
GOP, in export earnings, in employment generation and most importantly in protein
diet. In a large growing population with a rapid urbanising economy in Bangladesh,
demand on food items are increasing and at the same time available land for
agricultural purposes are declining. The incremental demand will need to be derived
by increasing production per unit area. Furthermore, the present environmental
degradation due to considerable decrease of the river bed is creating harm for the
open water fish population. In this concern, it is important to search for some
alternative sources which can protect this sector to a greater extent. Fish farming
particularly pond fish culture is one of the fastest growing economic activities in
Bangladesh. This study has made an attempt to analyse the regional variation of pond
fish production, identified the responsible factors of growth and reviewed socio- . .
economic and some other factors which affect fish farming in Bangladesh.
The study has analysed the contribution of fisheries sector to GOP, trend of fisheries
production and trend of pond fish production compared to other sources. It has also
examined the performance in pond fish production using the annual compound rate
of growth (%) and share of pond fish production of the districts. The study tries to
analyse the relation between growth and performance of pond fish production in the
districts of Bangladesh. Maps have been prepared with the calculated data of annual
compound growth rate and share of pond production to show the regional
concentration of growth and production performance. A multiple regression analysis
is carried out to identify the factors responsible for pond fish production performance
with the dependent variable- Volume of Pond Fish Production (per thousand
population) in 61 district and independent variables - Literacy Rate, Per Capita
Income, Road Density, Contribution of Non-agriculture sector to GOP, Per Unit
Cultivated Area, Urbanisation Rate, Number of Cooperative Markets in all Districts
and Number of the Member of Cooperative Markets in all Districts. It finds that, road
xii
density, per unit cultivated pond area and contribution of non-agriculture sector are
important factors of variation in production. This study has also made some review
of previous studies on the socia-economic factors of pond fish farmers. It has also
examined the effect on poverty, income, employment opportunity and regional
development for pond fish farming in Bangladesh. The study has made an analysis
of the present policy, institutional and legal framework regarding fisheries sector in
Bangladesh. According to the analysis and discussion on the pond fish production
situation in Bangladesh, some policy suggestions have also been recommended for
the sustainable production performance.
